[ There's something kind of comforting about that -- the fact that Shoko immediately understands what happened. It's a grim reality, of course, but there's a bleak solidarity to be found in the fact that he doesn't need to explain why he was abandoned.

Rom breathes a soft exhale before taking a sip of his coffee. ]

Of course. I'm sure it was terrifying for my parents. They were normal people -- all they knew was that their son kept talking about horrible monsters. I don't particularly blame them, at this point.

[ A pause before he gives a wan laugh. ]

-- ah, though they really should have given me up to an orphanage properly. They just left me in some apartment and told me to stay there. I probably would have died if Towako-san hadn't saved me, haha!